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How to Get Portugal Permanent Residency After the Golden Visa

  • Writer: Joshua Godin
    Joshua Godin
  • Aug 1
  • 4 min read

The Portugal Golden Visa Is Just the Beginning — Here’s What Comes Next

Many Americans choose Portugal’s Golden Visa for its flexibility: low physical presence requirements, a sunny European lifestyle, and a clear path to residency. But after five years on the Golden Visa, what happens next?


The answer is permanent residency, which is a legal upgrade that gives you greater stability, more rights, and continued access to Portugal without needing to maintain an active investment. In this post, we’ll walk you through how to get permanent residency after your Golden Visa and why it might be worth pursuing even if you’re not ready for full citizenship.

Lisbon cityscape with a tram in the photo

What Is Portugal Permanent Residency?

Permanent residency (PR) in Portugal gives you the legal right to live in the country indefinitely. Unlike temporary visas, which must be renewed every few years and are often tied to specific conditions (like investments or work contracts), permanent residency offers long-term security and more flexibility in how you live.


With PR status, you can:

  • Live and work in Portugal indefinitely

  • Access the national healthcare system

  • Enroll in public services (like schools for children or language programs)

  • Travel visa-free throughout the Schengen Zone

  • Maintain residency even if your original Golden Visa investment is no longer active


And while permanent residency doesn’t give you an EU passport (yet), it’s often the last major step before citizenship and a valuable status in its own right. Most importantly, it gives you an option to remain in Portugal without committing to citizenship.


From Golden Visa to Permanent Residency: How It Works

If you’ve held a Portugal Golden Visa for at least five years, you’re eligible to apply for permanent residency, provided you’ve met a few key requirements during that time.


Here’s what you’ll need to show:

Five years of legal residence in Portugal

Time on the Golden Visa counts toward this, including the newer rule where processing delays also count toward your five-year clock.

Minimum stay requirements met

Golden Visa holders must spend an average of 7 days per year in Portugal: that’s it. If you’ve followed this, you’re eligible.

Clean criminal record

Applicants must show a clean record in Portugal and in their home country.

Stable accommodation and sufficient income

You don’t need to be working in Portugal, but you’ll need to prove that you can support yourself. This is usually straightforward if you’re already a Golden Visa holder.

Basic Portuguese language knowledge (A2 level)

This is not required for permanent residency — only for citizenship. However, demonstrating some integration can strengthen your case.


Once you apply, the process typically takes a few months, and the permanent residency card is valid for 10 years, with simple renewals afterward.


Why Permanent Residency Matters

For many Golden Visa holders, permanent residency marks the transition from “investor” to “resident.” It signals that Portugal is a part of your life already and you intend on keeping it that way. This changes the nature of your time in Portugal, you can really put down your roots if you like and now your local community is more likely to see you as a long-term resident.


Here are the top benefits Americans highlight:

  • No need to maintain your Golden Visa investment After you gain PR, you’re no longer bound to keep your qualifying fund or donation active. You’ve fulfilled the program’s requirements. This means you can recoup your investment principal without repercussion in terms of your residency status.

  • Greater freedom to relocate You can keep PR even if you live elsewhere in the world as long as you don’t stay outside Portugal for more than 24 consecutive months (or 30 non-consecutive months over 5 years).

  • Full access to Portugal’s healthcare system With PR, you can register with the SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde), Portugal’s public health system. This is a major cost and peace-of-mind benefit.

  • Simplified renewals and fewer bureaucratic hurdles The renewal process for PR cards is typically easier than Golden Visa renewals, and costs are lower.

  • A strong base for future citizenship Permanent residency helps maintain your legal continuity, which is essential if you plan to apply for Portuguese (and EU) citizenship later on.


Permanent Residency vs. Citizenship: What’s the Difference?

Some Americans assume that after five years, they must choose between PR and citizenship but that’s not true. You can hold permanent residency indefinitely without becoming a Portuguese citizen.


That said, here’s how the two compare:

Permanent Residency

Citizenship

No EU passport

Full EU passport

Cannot vote in national elections

Can vote and run for office

Must maintain some physical presence

Can reside abroad indefinitely

No language test required

A2 Portuguese test required

No need to give up U.S. citizenship

Same — Portugal allows dual citizenship


If you’re not yet ready to apply for citizenship or simply want more time to decide then permanent residency is a comfortable middle ground.


A Smart Next Step Toward Long-Term European Life

For Americans who began with the Portugal Golden Visa, reaching permanent residency is a major milestone. It unlocks long-term rights, reduces obligations, and gives you real staying power in Europe without the pressure to move full-time or apply for a passport right away.


Whether you’re planning to spend more time in Portugal, split your year between continents, or simply keep your options open, permanent residency gives you flexibility without committing to the citizenship pathway.


Thinking ahead to permanent residency?


Let's get you a Portugal Golden Visa first so you can enjoy living in Portugal and the EU while laying the ground work for a new option in life.


Reach out today to explore your options with our expert team.

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